November 28
1800s *1885 - President Soden buys the Providence franchise and players for $6,000. *1889 - On Thanksgiving Day, Boston (National League) opens a California tour with an 8–3 win over San Francisco before a crowd of 7,000. 1900s-1940s *1927: **The Pittsburgh Pirates trade future Hall of Fame outfielder Kiki Cuyler to the Chicago Cubs for catcher Sparky Adams and outfielder Pete Scott. Cuyler, who had drawn the wrath of manager Donie Bush for his failure to slide in a game, will hit only .285 in 1928, well below his lifetime average of .321. He had become expendable after rookie Lloyd Waner became a starter, but will be a great addition to the Cubs. Adams will have two seasons in Pittsburgh before going to the Cardinals. **Billy Evans quits as American League umpire to becomes business manager (effectively the first General Manager) of the Indians following the purchase of the club by a group headed by Alva Bradley. **The New York Yankees release pitchers Bob Shawkey and Dutch Ruether. *1928 - The National League buys George Magerkurth from the Pacific Coast League for $2,000. This is the highest price paid for a new umpire. *1938 - The Chicago White Sox 25-year-old pitching star Monty Stratton has his right leg amputated as a result of a hunting accident in Greenville, Texas. Stratton attempted comeback is chronicled in the 1949 movie The Stratton Story. *1939 - Ken Keltner is turned down in Cleveland for off-season unemployment benefits. *1944 - Detroit Tigers pitcher Hal Newhouser is named Most Valuable Player in the American League, gathering four more votes than teammate Dizzy Trout. Newhouser's 29 wins contrast his 34 combined wins the previous four years, as his 2.22 ERA is bettered by Trout (2.12), who also has 27 wins. 1950s *1950 - Having already relieved general manager Branch Rickey of his duties, Brooklyn Dodgers owner Walter O'Malley continues his house cleaning as names Pacific Coast League Oakland manager Chuck Dressen to replace Burt Shotton, who compiled a 326-215 record during his four-year tenure as the Dodgers skipper. *1951 - The St. Louis Browns trade C Gus Niarhos, acquired yesterday, along with OF Ken Wood to the Boston Red Sox for C Les Moss and OF Tom Wright. The Browns also signs shortstop Marty Marion, former St. Louis Cardinals manager. *1952 - International League President Frank Shaughnessy reveals plans to form two new major leagues by merging the top teams in the American Association and the top teams from the IL. Shaughnessy thinks that in five to six years, ML baseball will elevate these two leagues, along with the Pacific Coast League, which nearly has ML status now. *1955 - The Chicago Cubs trade pitcher Hal Jeffcoat to the Cincinnati Redlegs for catcher Hobie Landrith. *1956 - The Cleveland Indians name Kerby Farrell to replace Al Lopez as the team manager. Farrell won the Junior World Series as the pilot of the Double-A Indianapolis Indians. *1957 - Warren Spahn of the Milwaukee Braves wins the Cy Young Award as the major league's top pitcher almost unanimously. His only competition for the title is Dick Donovan, of the Chicago White Sox, who receives one vote. *1958: **1958 - The American League announces that its Opening Day will be April 9th making it earliest date ever to open the junior circuit's regular season. **The Boston Red Sox sign teenage sensation Carl Yastrzemski to a reported bonus of $100,000. The future Hall of Famer will make his major league debut with Boston three years later. 1960s *1961: **The Philadelphia Phillies sends pitcher John Buzhardt and infielder Charlie Smith to the Chicago White Sox for first baseman Roy Sievers. The Sievers trade is announced after the Joe Cunningham trade, by the Sox, who don't want to appear to need a first baseman. **The Milwaukee Braves trade slugger Frank Thomas to the New York Mets for a player named later (Gus Bell) and reported $125,000. *1965 - Future Boston Red Sox owner Haywood Sullivan resigns as Kansas City Athletics’ manager to become the Red Sox director of player personnel and vice president of the club. Sullivan is replaced by Alvin Dark. *1966 - The Pittsburgh Pirates purchase P Juan Pizarro from the Chicago White Sox, completing a deal that sends P Wilbur Wood to Chicago. The knuckleballing Wood was 14–8 for Columbus in 1966 after going 1–3 for the Pirates over the previous two years. *1967 - The Minnesota Twins send shortstop Zoilo Versalles and pitcher Mudcat Grant to the Los Angeles Dodgers for catcher John Roseboro and pitchers Bob Miller and Ron Perranoski. *1969 - Second baseman Ted Sizemore becomes the seventh Dodgers player to win National League Rookie of the Year honors. 1970s *1972 - In a blockbuster interstate trade good for both teams, the Los Angeles Dodgers send Frank Robinson, Bill Singer, Mike Strahler, Bobby Valentine and Bill Grabarkewitz to the California Angels in exchange for Andy Messersmith and Ken McMullen, who returns to the team that signed him. In 1973, Robinson will play 147 games, hitting 30 home runs with 97 RBI and Singer will combine with Nolan Ryan to strike out 674 batters, a 20th Century major league record for two teammates. Messersmith will win 39 games in the next two seasons for the Dodgers and finish second in the Cy Young Award voting in 1974. *1973 - Baltimore Orioles outfielder Al Bumbry beats out five other vote-getters to win American League Rookie of the Year honors. Bumbry played just 110 games, but tied for the AL lead in triples (11) and batted .337. *1977 - Former major league star Bob Meusel dies at the age of 81. Meusel batted over .300 seven times, including a career-high mark of .337 in 1927. He also participated in six World Series with the New York Yankees. *1978: **The Cincinnati Reds fire their nine-year manager Sparky Anderson, who had led the team to five NL Division titles, four NL Championship pennants, two World Championships (1975-76), and averaged 96 wins per season. The surprise move comes six days after the Reds return from a trip to Japan. Anderson has one year left on a contract and had no idea he'd be fired. He will become the manager of the Detroit Tigers on June 12, 1979, replacing Les Moss. **The Baltimore Orioles sign pitcher Steve Stone, a reentry free agent formerly with the Chicago White Sox. 1980s-1990s *1979 - Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Rick Sutcliffe, who posted a 17-10 record for a sub-.500 team, receives 20 of 24 votes to earn the National League Rookie of the Year honors. *1988: **Rich Gedman becomes the highest paid catcher in the American League when he signs a one-year contract with the Boston Red Sox for $1.2 million. **The American League champion Oakland Athletics sign free agent pitcher Mike Moore, formerly with the Seattle Mariners. *1994 - The Houston Astros trade All-Star pitcher Pete Harnisch to the New York Mets for two players to be named later. 2000s *2000 - Relief pitcher Curt Leskanic, who posted a 9-3 record with a 2.56 ERA and 12 saves, agrees to a $7.2 million, three-year incentive-laden contract with the Milwaukee Brewers which can almost double with based on performance. Leskanic converted 11 of 12 save chances after former Milwaukee closer Bob Wickman was traded to the Cleveland Indians on July 28. *2005 - Toronto Blue Jays general manager J.P. Ricciardi signs former Baltimore Orioles standout B.J. Ryan to the richest contract ever for a reliever in a 5-year, $47 million deal. Births *1922 - Wes Westrum, All-Star catcher and manager (d. 2002) *1927 - Carlos Paula, outfielder (d. 1983) *1953 - Sixto Lezcano, outfielder *1958 - Dave Righetti, All-Star pitcher *1960 - Ken Howell, pitcher *1963 - Walt Weiss, All-Star infielder *1964 - John Burkett, All-Star pitcher *1965 - Matt Williams, All-Star infielder *1969 - Pedro Astacio, pitcher *1969 - Rob Nenn, All-Star pitcher *1976 - Adam Bernero, pitcher *1979 - Nick Logan, outfielder Deaths *1959 - Ed McFarland, catcher (b. 1874) *1961 - Earl Moore, pitcher (b. 1879) *1977 - Bob Meusel, outfielder (b. 1896) *2004 - Connie Johnson, pitcher (b. 1922)